Welded excavating flight for cribbing machine chains



March 1, 1955 H. H. TALBOYS WELDED EXCAVATING FLIGHT FOR CRIBBING MACHINE CHAINS Filed Sept. 29, 1950 ds 'ia ji e ration of Wisconsin Application septfiiiser'ia, 1950, stint fin." 1 85,97 2 Claims. ((31. 37-83 My invention relates to an improvement in digging flights. A g U Onepurpose is to provide 'a d V be advantageously used with excavatmgchams, 1, 1

Another purpose is to' provide a diggmg-flight which which is particularly adapted for use in cribbing machines excaiZ/ate the ballast from between the ties of a railroad trac.

Another purpose is to proyide a 'ght which is adaptable for use with two parallel 'chain'components.

Another purpose is to provide a flight which forms part of and connects two parallel chain components.

Another purpose is to provide a digging flight having its wearing surfaces strengthened by the addition of weldable material thereto.

Another purpose is to provide a method of manufacturing a digging flight which results in the production of a digging flight having portions which are wear-resistant.

Other purposes will appear from time to time in the course of the specification and claims.

I illustrate the invention more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the flight as it appears after the casting operation;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the flight after the welds have been placed upon certain surfaces of said flight;

Figure 3 is Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a side elevation on a reduced scale of a typical chain assembly with which my flights can be employed.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specification and drawings. Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figure 1 in which the flight is shown as it appears at the end of the casting step, the flight is shown as including a transversely extending body portion 1 from the face 1a, of which digging elements 2 rise outwardly. As shown in Figure 3, the digging elements 2 rise through an inclined plane in reference to the plane of the transverse body portion 1. The digging elements 2 have an end face 3, which is downwardly inclined with reference to the plane of the transverse body portion 1. The digging elements 2 have a back face 4, which is shown as being flush with the back edge 1b of the transverse body portion 1. The digging elements 2 have a projection 5 running longitudinally along the face 6 which is opposite to the face 4. The projection or ridge 5 runs parallel with the inclined face 6 from the face 3 to the flight body 1, and blends gradually into the flight body 1 as at 7. Extending from the opposite face of the flight body 1 are the chain lugs 8, which I illustrate as being grouped in pairs, one pair at each end of the flight body 1. The lugs 8 are formed generally in the shape of a chain link, such as is illustrated at 9 in Figure 5. Apertures 10 are provided in the chain lugs 8 and are arranged in alignment to receive pintles 11, the ends of which are shown in Figure 5. It will be understood that my digging flight is adapted for installation in a machine in which a chain is drawn through a path so as to bring the digging flight into contact with the material to be dug, more or less as illustrated on a reduced scale in Figure 5. Therefore, the lugs 8 are shaped and formed to perform the function of chain links in said chain and to be interchangeable with such chain links and, thus, to

an end view of the structure shown in Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corpo- 2 7 2 9 m an;as Mar. 1 55 act as integral parts of the chain structure. Preferably, the width of the lugs, transversely .;of the chain, is twice that of the chain link members (not shown);

I illus- 'trateialso in Figure 1 a surface onmyflight body 1.which is formed as a flattened corner area 12, the purpose of which; will appear-later.

In Figure .2 ,I illustrateinyflight as it ap'pears after the completion of the weldingstep, in the production ,process ofthe flight-. Thus, ,it is seen. from Figure 2 .thatthe picks; or digging elements 2 have :abuiltfup area formed of welds 50 encompassing'the cornersformed by the -meeting of-the faces Sandthe. side faces 13. and 13a ,ofthe picks, and by thetmeeting of thezface's .6xand 13 and 13a of the picks. The welds 51 cover over;the.end face 3 and the ridge 5 of the picks, as wellas the side surfaces of the ridgeS and all of face 6. As will, be clear from Figure 2, the thickest portions of the welds overlie, the corner surfaces at which the faces; of .the picks m'eetgand also over-lie the-front faces of theridgeS, The weld-52 embraces the corner formed by the .facesila and 1 c of the; flight body 1; along the entire surface .of said .,-corner. The surfaceslZ arealso covered by a weldwhich c,over s ,over, the. corner, formed byvthefaces 1d and. 1a of .the ;tflight-b,o'dyr L- for, a distance substantially half waybetween the back edge of the face 1d and the apex of the triangular face or surface 12, said weld being indicated by the numeral 53. Said weld 53 also covers over the faces 1e of the flight body 1. As illustrated in Figure 2, the weld 53 is built up to the point at which a generally rectangular face is placed upon the surface la. The purpose of the provision of a flattened corner surface 12 becomes apparent in Figure 2 once it is seen that such construction permits of a much thicker weld portion at this particular point of wear.

Whereas I do not wish to be limited to any specific welded material, I find that tube borium is satisfactory for my purpose.

When the flight is welded as indicated in Figures 2 to 5 inclusive, it is then ready for use and may be incorporated in chains as shown in Figure 5. Where the flight is applied to the task of cleaning inter-tie gaps or cribs, the chain is guided and driven horizontally as shown in Figure 5 and the projections, or picks, or digging elements 2 extend downwardly from the body portions 1.

It will be realized that, whereas, I have described and shown a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes may be made in size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawings to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative or diagrammatic, rather than as limiting me to my specific showing herein.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

I provide a digging flight which is usable, for example, with excavator chain employed in cribbing machines of the type shown in copending application Serial No.

697,307, for Railway Ballast Cribber, filed in the United States Patent Oflice September 16, 1946, now Patent No. 2,552,649, issued May 15, 1951, and assigned to the assignee of the present application.

I employ a transversely extending body portion in the form of a casting of a suitable steel alloy, preferably strengthened by heat treatment. From one side of the flight body project one or more excavating elements or picks and from the other side the link-like members, arranged in pairs at opposite ends of the flight body, which are adapted to be integrated into and form part of the continuous excavator chain structure of the above-mentioned application. The chain is used to excavate the inter-tie or crib spaces of railroad trackage. The chain is moved at relatively high speed and has to stand terrific wear. The problem of producing chain and chain flights and digging members which will stand such wear has proved to be diflicult. The flight herein described and shown is reinforced along its cutting edges and exposed edges and corners by welding material, such as tube borium, which is substantially more wear-resistant than the material of which the flight is made. The flight is cast in a form best suited to receive and back the welded overlay or reinforcement.

I find it advantageous to provide seats or spaces to which the weldable material can be applied. For example, at the ends of the picks 2, 2, I provide beveled seats which are inclined in the direction of the movement of the flight. On these seats I apply the welded masses 51, which build up what are, in effect, cutting or digging projections. Similarly, I provide the inclined faces 12, over which the Welded masses 53 are applied. The end digging projections thus formed may be connected by the transverse weld 52 which has the further function of protecting the forward edge of the body portion 1 of the flight.

As will be clear from an examination of the drawings, substantially thick heavy masses of welded material are on the surfaces 3 and 12. Other masses or ridges pass along corners and edges and surround the forward ribs 5 of the picks. The result is an exceedingly robust excavating element in which an integral body of heat treated steel has its exposed edges and corners protected by a substantial depth of a material which is even more resistant to wear.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture an excavator chain flight adapted for inclusion in a multiple strand excavator chain, said flight comprising a body, said body having a transversely extending generally rectilinear main center portion, said body portion having a blunt projection extending forwardly therefrom at each end thereof, each said projection having the lower, outer, forward corner thereof beveled to provide a surface facing laterally outwardly and downwardly from said main body portion,

a plurality of integral link elements projecting from one side of said main portion, integral digging picks projecting from an opposite side of said center portion, the end faces of said picks being beveled in the direction of movement of the flight, and massive overlays of welded material welded to the outer faces of said end projections and said picks, said outer faces including said beveled faces, said massive overlays being suflicient to change the overall shape of said body.

2. The structure of claim 1 characterized in that the forward ed said forwa protected b ge of said rectilinear center portion between rdly facing dlggmg projections carries and is y a transversely extending massive strip overlay of Welded material, sufiicient to change the relationship existing between said forward edge and the remainder of said body before the addition of said Welded material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

